When it comes to education policy and teachers unions, it is often the case that up is down and down is up. Teachers unions couch most arguments that benefit unionized public school teachers, like increased teacher pay, as being in the interest of children. The same type of arguments are made against charter schools.

Charter schools are independently operated public schools that have the freedom to design classrooms that meet their students’ needs. Teachers unions typically oppose charter schools because charter schools often have nonunion employees and represent competition for traditional district schools.